Chronicles of a Swordswoman
by yoshmaster5
Summary: The continent of Jurgdal becomes engulfed in war after a raid on Darna Fortress.  The path of the Princess of Isaac becomes entangled in these conflicts, as the world starts to warp around her.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the rights to Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu. The characters, story elements, and setting are owned by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

_**Chronicles of a Swordswoman**_

**Chapter One**

The blast of electricity lit up the clearing like a beacon, one that sealed the fate of an older man in the center. His hands clasped his silver sword tightly as the pillars of elthunder spells fell upon their prey. He rolled forward, dodging the first round of spells and dashing for the edge of the clearing. To his astonishment, something resembling a door appeared before him, while the spells started to swirl like wind around them. A single man walked in, dark purple armor covering his body and a helmet that showed only the person's eyes.

"So you come to finish the job yourself?" the swordsmaster asked, lowering himself into a defensive posture.

"They should have been able to kill you. Without the Balmunk, you are nothing," the armored man stated without emotion.

"Fool."

The swordsmaster dashed at the armored man, the sword arcing towards his neck. Even though he carried a sword, the other did not draw. Instead, he stepped back, far faster than any man in that thick of armor should be capable of. "I did not wish to resort to this," he lamented, a dense ball of electricity forming in his right hand.

"A toron spell?" the swordsmaster asked as he closed in once more, his sword held back and parallel to the ground.

_I have one chance._

He thrust the katana-like silver sword at his opponent from almost point-blank range. However, with a speed the man's eyes barely caught, the baron evaded without a care. "Perish," the man commanded, and let the spell detonate right against the swordsmaster's chest.

A sensation of falling struck the swordsmaster, as if he were plummeting deeper and deeper into nothingness. The feel of grass below registered, but quickly faded as every sense became numb. "Marricle... Ayra... Shanan..." he choked out, just before a sword fell upon his neck.

**Gran Calender 757**

**Summer**

Her sword flashed through the air, crashing into her partner's wakizashi. He staggered back, but thrust forward while the swords were still in contact. The woman leaned to the side, spinning behind her opponent, and turning her sword to halt just behind his neck. "It's over," she stated, before withdrawing her sword.

"Ayra..." the younger swordfighter complained, "I can't learn like this..."

Ayra, a woman of average height, let a sigh escape from her lips. She slipped the blade into its sheath at her left thigh, before speaking. "Shanan, this is how I learned the sword."

The five-year-old turned around to face his aunt, a pout on his childish face. "You have a natural talent, Ayra, I just don't," he whined, his shoulder-length hair stuck to his cheeks from sweat.

_Shanan..._ she thought, _you're too young, I guess..._

Ayra knelt down, looking at her nephew directly, her dark blue eyes boring into his dark brown ones. "You are the Prince of Isaac. You are the one who will inherit the Balmunk, and you have the potential to become the greatest swordsmaster of the land. When first learning the sword, it is difficult, but as you get stronger, it gets easier," she stated, before setting a hand on his shoulder. "Ever since I started training you, you have been able to block my attacks, and even counter them..." Ayra stood up, smiling down at the young prince. "I think this is enough for the day, Shanan."

His face broke out in a smile, and he quickly sheathed the short sword. "Thanks, Ayra!" he blurted out, and sprinted towards the castle. His sword also fell from his side, but the child did not seem to notice.

Ayra shook her head as she left to pick up the sword. "You didn't even tie it to your sash correctly?" she exclaimed, exasperated. She knew he could not hear her, but it helped just to say it out loud. "He's still too young..." she muttered to herself, bending down to pick up the short sword.

_I started training when I was seven, and even then, it was against my own peers. Shanan doesn't have that luxury..._ she thought, turning her head to the west, seeing the narrow plains framed by dense forests. _Verdane cannot feel like home to me. I would have rather stayed in Isaac..._ the swordswoman sat down, laid the short sword beside her, and untied the sheath of her katana from her sash. Ayra set it beside the wakizashi, and lay back on the grass. Her thigh-length, black hair was tied into a ponytail, and she adjusted it to lay to the right of her back. _It has been almost two months since we arrived in Verdane..._

**Gran Calender 757**

**Late Winter**

"What?" Ayra exclaimed, flames of outrage framed in her eyes.

Mariccle, her older half-brother, motioned for her to sit down. "Calm down, Ayra."

She glanced down, realizing that her haste knocked the chair behind her to the ground. "Oh..." an embarrassed blush tinted her face red, as she knelt down, and returned the chair to its initial position. She sat down again, her right hand balled into a fist. The Isaacian princess took a deep breath before she spoke again. "You must be joking..."

Mariccle shook his head, a broken look in his eyes. "I wish it was..."

Ayra felt her fist tighten, as the anger slowly began ferment inside. "King Mananan... our father... is dead?" she asked, her voice shaking as she spoke.

Her half-brother paused for a moment, before answering, "Some of our guards along the border noticed abnormal flashes of light in the distance, only a day after our father passed into Grandbell. They decided that it was something no regular spell could create unless there was an intense fight, and sent two soldiers to investigate. They... found him there, with burn scars all over his body, and multiple sword wounds..." he stated, before pausing as his voice cracked.

"Who was it?" Ayra spat out, as her body began to shake. "Do they want us to think it's an independent action? Then why was it on Grandbell's territory?" she began to scream, until she saw the pain in Mariccle's eyes.

"We don't know... all I know is that it was Grandbell that assassinated him," he stated, before standing up from his own chair, and walking over to the window, before speaking again. "I... We will not let them get away with this. First they blame us for the actions of those barbarians in Rivough, and when our father went to explain..." he placed a hand on the windowsill. "If it is a war they want, then Isaac shall respond in kind," he finished, a mixture of pain and anger in his voice.

"Let me lead the army," was Ayra's blunt request, standing up while her hand was grasping fruitlessly for a sword hilt that was not there—she set it aside when she went to meet with Mariccle.

Silence. Ayra clenched her hand in place of grasping her katana, feeling more and more uneasy as the time passed. After two minutes of silence, the older prince looked at his half-sister. "I cannot, Ayra... I have a far more important request for you," he replied, as his face took on an anguished look. "Grandbell is far stronger than we are... even if I lead the army with the Balmunk in hand, we cannot win," he stated, and then took a deep breath. His next words struck Ayra like a Toron spell. "Isaac must be reborn, even if it is decades after my own demise. Take Shanan with you and flee the country."

No response. Ayra's face went blank, while her eyes widened to saucers. After a brief pause, "What?" she asked, disbelief evident in her tone.

Mariccle averted his gaze from the young swordswoman, focusing on some point on the wall. "Take my son and flee Isaac. The country needs a leader for the future... and Shanan must take our father's place when he is ready," he replied, before looking back at Ayra. "I can only trust you to take care of him, Ayra. Shanan's mother died two years ago, and I do not trust any other member of the royal family to protect him in this way..."

Ayra collapsed into the chair behind her, still unwilling to believe her half-brother. "Do... you not trust our family, Mariccle?" she asked, in an accusing tone.

"Not in this manner. They would protect my son, but only to a degree. You are the only one I can trust to do this... the others, well... I believe that at some point they would abandon Shanan and turn him over to Grandbell, all to gain the throne," he responded. He then walked back to his chair, and slowly sat down. "I know how close you two are. Shanan sees you as his mother."

Ayra closed her eyes, and crossed her arms over her stomach. "Why? Why do you want me to do this?" she asked, finally aware she could not dodge the question any longer.

She opened her eyes, and looked directly at the Isaacian Prince, begging for him to take back his request. The look in her half-brothers face spoke volumes.

"Ayra, I'm getting tired," Shanan whined as the light of the sun disappeared over the horizon. It was the second day of their trek, and thankfully the young prince was taking the situation seriously. She only guessed that his father spoke to him quite a bit before they left.

"We can't stop yet, Shanan. People are bound to be searching for us this way, even with your father misdirecting them," she explained, "If we find shelter deeper in the woods, we can stop."

"I still don't know why we couldn't use horses," he continued, not wanting to concede his argument.

"Too obvious, I told you already."

"But isn't this more dangerous?"

_Yeah, he takes it seriously until he realizes he's not getting a good bed for a long time. Lovely. _

"No. Yes, there are animals out here, but you know they're not hostile down here. If we don't bother them, they won't attack us. It's that simple."

He stayed silent, the child's cloak wrapped around his small frame. They continued walking for a few more minutes before Shanan spoke again, asking, "Ayra, what happened? Why do we need to travel like this?"

"Your father doesn't think it'll be safe for you in Isaac. We also need to make it look like you vanished without a trace, so Grandbell doesn't try to find you," she went on to elaborate, "If they know you are still alive, they will not stop until you're dead. This is for your own safety."

He did not seem convinced, but at the moment lacked the energy to argue with his aunt. It took another thirty minutes of trekking through the woods for Ayra to concede to Shanan's demands, and rolled out the small cloth for them to sleep on once they found some smooth ground. The five-year-old went to sleep without words, the drastic change in diet and lack of sleep exhausting him. Ayra, however, was left to her thoughts. _Mariccle... is this really the right decision? This... hell? We should have enough to get to Rivough in just over a week if we move quickly, but Shanan... Odo, let something help us..._

On the fifth day, they left the forests for the worn-down road. Ayra thought it was far enough away from Isaac that it became relatively safe, and Shanan would not stay quiet about his insistence on the easier route.

_It's odd... I would expect many more messengers between Rivough and Isaac right now, given the impending war. I haven't seen a single one. Maybe the rulers there fled to Darna... I don't know._

"Can we stop to eat lunch?" Shanan asked, much more polite than the day before.

"Sure," she responded, crouching down to let the bag with their provisions fall gently to the ground. Ayra turned to pull out their rations, which thankfully Shanan had stopped complaining about the day before. The find of a wild rabbit in the winter was a blessing, and the cooked meat, while small, provided a welcome change. As they rested, an odd sound caused the swordswoman to tense up immediately. Shanan heard it as well.

"What's that?" he inquired, almost leaping to his feet.

"Calm down," she muttered, rising up with a hand on the hilt of her sword, "We need to be careful." Ayra glanced to the west, then east, and made out a group of figures approaching from the latter direction. She identified the sounds as horses, four each pulling a carriage, a total of sixteen animals. The swordswoman relaxed, moving her hand from the weapon's hilt slowly. "A merchant convoy, I guess..."

"Do you think we may be able to travel with them?"

Ayra waited to respond, tightening a hand around Shanan's right shoulder and pulling him towards the edge of the road. "Maybe," she responded, a tinge of wariness in her voice, "We'll have to see."

It took a few more minutes for the convoy to reach them. _They're slowing down._ The head of the group jumped from the carriage and approached the two, pushing his hat to angle more towards the back.

"What are you two doing out here?" he asked, an accent coloring his words. Ayra found herself unable to place it. "It's becoming dangerous for anyone to be in Isaac, much less by yourselves."

Shanan began to speak, but the swordswoman quieted him instantly as she took over, "We're heading to Rivough. We want to get out of here as soon as we can."

The man glanced down, noticing the two swords she wore. "I thought men and women wanted to fight," he whispered with an accusing edge to his voice.

"I just want to get my nephew out of the country."

"You're afraid of the war?"

Ayra paused for a moment. _How to answer this... it's not that simple._

"I'm worried for his safety, and getting out of Isaac is the best chance we have."

_How vague..._

The merchant raised a hand to his lips, engrossed in thought. He spoke after a very tense minute, "You've got something you don't want to say, which I understand. If you want out of the country, we could help. We're a bit short on guards, so if you agree to help protect us, we may have a deal."

Shanan, unable to restrain himself, spoke first, "Of course! Right?" He looked up at his aunt.

_Thanks for that, Shanan..._

"That I can do. I'm Ayra, and this is Shanan."

"Bradley. 'Tis a pleasure," he responded, and gestured towards the front carriage. "Shanan, you can ride in here. Ayra, the left side one is a bit empty, so that would be ideal."

"I understand," the swordswoman replied.

The oceans were always said to look blue, but the Gulf of Manster defied expectation. It took on a slightly green hue, an event which pleased the ship's crew. It did seem confusing, until the sailors pulled up their small fishing net.

"The green is from organisms in the ocean. We don't know why, but it means that there are more fish in the gulf. Maybe it is something they feed on, but it's more food for us," the captain told her when asked. Cooking them was another problem altogether. The few cooks kept the fires heavily controlled, and when they were preparing meals with flame, not another person was allowed in the mess hall. Still, that did nothing to help Ayra's own seasickness.

_It's like riding a horse, except you can't get off the damn thing..._ Some days were worse than others, and thankfully, this was a relatively calm day. For some of the rougher days, the swordswoman could not keep food down, the ship's undulations proving too intense. _Ugh... I've tasted nothing but that burning ever since we boarded this abomination. Shanan's too damn lucky that he's not sick from this..._ She looked off the starboard side, seeing the vague outline of the Yied Desert to the North. It was about nine kilometers away, she guessed. The common practice usually followed the Yied coast down the gulf, to avoid any possibility of raiders from greater Thracia, as the peninsula was usually called. _We've been on this damn ship for almost three weeks now... we have almost another three to go until we reach Melgen. I can't wait to get off this wooden deathtrap._

Ayra looked up to the crow's nest, the scout periodically scanning the horizon. What he did in the spare time, the swordswoman did not care to know. Right now, however, he seemed focused on something to the southwest. Then, his cry shook the seagoing veterans to their core. "Thracian Dragon knights off the bow! Ready battle positions!"

The response came almost instantly. Sailors rushed up from below deck, and stowed the two masts in moments. Ten to fifteen sailors came on deck with bows in hand and quivers slung around their backs. Even more came from below with axes ready, each taking positions at strategic points topside. The captain walked over to Ayra, carrying a steel bow in his hands. "Unless you have experience fighting dragon knights, I suggest going below-decks."

"Why do you say that?"

He shook his head in disbelief. "We're in their element. Out at sea, they're the most dangerous pirates you could find."

"Don't they only do mercenary work though? I thought they wouldn't bother a merchant ship," Ayra muttered, hand clenched around her katana's hilt.

"You don't understand how poor Thracia is, then. They'll do anything for extra recourses, even if it means becoming despised by everyone," he responded. "Can you fight?" Ayra drew her sword, nodding once. "Then get to port, and guard our archers. And be prepared for anything." It took almost ten minutes, Ayra estimated, before the archers noked their bows. The dragon knights were now clearly visible, and closing in quickly. There were at least fifteen of them, maybe more. The back half were preparing to throw their spears. The swordswoman started to shake, waiting as the dragon knights began to circle overhead.

"Draw!" a sniper at the bow shouted. All of the archers pulled back their strings, and took aim. The dragon knights started to spin, and the first half dove, the second half throwing their spears down at the ship. "Fire!" Arrows shot into the sky, felling three of the dragon knights in the first volley. Ayra heard a number of the sailors curse, and heard the cry, "Fire at will!"

The archers scattered as the dragons screeched their war cry. The archer next to Ayra jumped back as one of the dragon knights pulled out of the dive, the rider's lance stabbing at the greater threat to the flyer. Ayra lunged at the dragon, her sword stabbing at the dragon's side. The sword glanced off the mount's skin, and the dragon snapped at her in response. Ayra fell backwards, grimacing as she hit the wooden deck. The rider spun his lance around, and stabbed down at the swordswoman. She rolled to the side and spun her legs around to get back on her feet. The lance swung around at her, and Ayra swung up, diverting the weapon from her head. The dragon lunged at her, its claws tearing for her neck. Ayra dove to the right as its talons passed overhead. She spun back onto her feet, just as two sailors sank their axes into the dragon itself. The creature called out in pain, and an arrow sank into its eye. One of the sailors plunged his knife into the rider's side, and pulled him off of the dying dragon with the hand-held weapon as leverage. The rider tried to fight back, but a quick twist of the knife sent him to the ground in pain, and the sailor stomped down on his neck. Both rider and mount went limp, and the three that assisted soon turned to fell the next dragon knight.

The battle went better than the sailors expected. They suffered only seven fatalities, but at the cost of ten wounded, Ayra among them. Thankfully, her wound was not severe, only a cut along her left arm. She did, however, need it wrapped along with a sling. Lying down, the sling was not necessary. Now that the seas were rough once more, Ayra refused to stand up. Shanan, unrolling a new set of bandages, stood next to her.

"How is your arm doing?" he asked, a pitiful look on his face.

Ayra turned her head to look at him, and reached over with her right arm to pat him on the head. "Still stings, but it'll heal. Only my arm getting hurt was a stroke of luck for me," she replied.

Shanan's face fell a bit more at her words. His eyes flit to the ground, staying silent. Ayra rolled onto her back, her right arm falling to her side. She slowly moved her left arm to the side of the bed, and felt her nephew start to unroll the bandages. The dull ache started to intensify. Shanan moaned. _First time he's seen something like this... then again, it is the first time for me too... _It took another few minutes for the bandage to come off completely. Ayra glanced down at the wound, and immediately regretted it. A 'cut' did not fit. The lance used cut deep into her left arm, even cutting into the muscle..._ Don't throw up... please don't throw up..._ She pushed the skin of her arm together for Shanan to start wrapping the wound. The rest of the 'ritual,' as Ayra preferred to think of it, passed in silence. Her nephew finished the bandage with a tie near her elbow, where the wound ended.

"I... I never want to fight, Ayra..."

"This happens to everyone eventually, Shanan. You'll get used to it. I just had bad luck."

The young prince averted his head, and walked out of the room with his head hung low. Ayra looked up at the ceiling, the undulations of the ship not helping her wound-related nausea. _He said I did the stupidest thing possible up there. Never attack a dragon knight's mount with a sword, ever. You won't do anything to it. That's why he was able to wound me. Need to be more careful, for Shanan's sake._

**Gran Calender 757**

**Summer**

She breathed in sharply for a second, and then sneezed.

"Shanan must be talking about me..." she muttered to herself. "And the air here doesn't help... I've had to use some herbal remedies from the Blaggi Church every week to keep my eyes from itching."

Ayra took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. _Well, it could be worse. Those officials at Miletos came close to questioning us, but thankfully the expedition chief stepped in for us. He seemed to be wary of Grandbell too, and he even suggested our appeal to King Batou. _Her face slowly took a hard expression as her mind wandered. _Keh... who knew that the rulers of Verdane were such idiots? Prince Kinbois turns us away, even with proof that Shanan is of Odo's line, and then comes back, telling me that if I work as a soldier that he'll provide lodgings at Genoa for us. I still think he has some ulterior motive for housing us, even if we are generally left alone._ She closed her eyes, and started to breathe heavily. _I may as well rest while I can, I guess..._

"Lady Ayra?" a voice asked, pulling the swordswoman from her rest. "May I speak with you?"

The Isaacian Princess moaned, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. _That was a decent nap... how long was I out for, anyway?_ She sat up, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. She noticed the person speaking was standing in front of her. His identity did not register until she saw the dark green tunic of an archer and the man's white bandanna.

She stood up as fast as she could, bowing her head as she addressed him, "Prince Jamuka, is there something I may do for you?"

The archer chuckled lightly, scratching the back of his head, before replying, "You don't need those formalities. We're of equal rank, and on the field of battle, we are the same as any individual. Besides, it feels... awkward."

"It's habit more than anything else," Ayra replied, while she raised her head back up. "Isaac has many traditions, and I adhere to them."

Jamuka nodded, a slight smile on his face. "I guess so..." he muttered, as the smile slowly faded away to a grim expression.

The swordswoman raised an eyebrow, her gaze fixed on the Prince of Verdane. "What has happened?" she asked, a cold tone creeping into her voice.

The archer let out a deep breath before he spoke, "Prince Gandolf has invaded Grandbell with a sizable army."

Ayra felt a chill run down her back as the implications started to take form. "All over again..." she whispered, as Jamuka continued to speak.

_Shanan... now we need to run again. But, now we have Kinbois to deal with..._

"I heard from their first reports back that they seized the castle of Jungby... and that my brother," he paused, venom lacing the most recent word, "decided to take the hand of Jungby's Lady Eddin by force."

"... did you know why they decided to invade?" Ayra asked, as her body began to shake. She bent down to pick up the two swords as part of an effort to mask this nervous twitch.

"My father's newest advisor convinced them that Grandbell was planning to invade. Gandolf is already power-crazed, and only needed a little prodding to jump at the chance. Plus, from the first moment he saw her, he dedicated himself to taking Lady Eddin as his own..." Jamuka explained. Ayra noticed the malice in the archer's words... but also the hesitation.

_Ah... so this time, it's the advisor. Well, maybe... I wouldn't expect anything less of those megalomaniacal scum in Grandbell, but that prince is an intelligent as a gnat. Force a woman into marriage, and rape her as well. Brilliant, just brilliant..._

"I can't stand to hear any more of this..." she muttered, loud enough for Jamuka to hear. "Shanan and I will need to leave. I'd rather stay and fight, but I promised my brother that I would protect him."

Jamuka looked down at the ground, away from the swordswoman. "I... am afraid that isn't very likely. You see... Kinbois is planning to lead a second invasion of Grandbell alongside Gandolf once Lady Eddin is safely moved to Marpha. Part of his plan is... well, when he found out about your heritage, he decided to make you a key player in his strategy."

_I knew that bastard was planning something else..._ Ayra balled her right hand into a fist, and punched it into her left.

"Meaning what?"

"He placed you in charge of a small band of axe fighters."

"Why was I never told about this?"

"I don't know. I was only told of this when a messenger told me the story in place of my father. After that, I traveled here to demand answers from him. He finally decided to inform me of his strategy once we learned that the knights of Chalphy mobilized to aid Jungby. He said that I would be the commander of their archers if I cooperated with him."

"Which entails what, exactly?" Ayra spat out, starting to crack her knuckles.

Jamuka looked back up at the swordswoman, a sad, yet resolute look in his light-brown eyes. "That I ensure the transportation of Lady Eddin to Marpha, and keep you uninformed."

Ayra blinked for a few seconds, before responding, "Why keep me uninformed?"

"'To make sure you do not try anything funny' were his words..." Jamuka muttered, shaking his head. "As for myself... I can't stand by this. Sandima is a manipulative dreg, and he has my father under his finger. All I can do is try to hinder their plans my own way..." he continued, looking towards the forests in the northwest. "I've already recruited someone that can help me out..."

_Hmph... not much he can do for me now._

"You are going to side with Grandbell?" Ayra asked, with a loathing that seemed to shock the Verdanian Prince.

"I am going to make sure Lady Eddin returns to her home, and I will not lead Kinbois's army," he replied, a harsh expression forming in his features. "I will not betray my country. I am only doing what is best for Verdane itself."

Ayra nodded once, seemingly satisfied with his answer. "I am to pretend as though I have not seen you then, correct?"

"Yes."

"Very well..." she replied, as she turned towards Genoa. "I wish you luck in your endeavors, Prince Jamuka."

"Yours as well, Princess Ayra," he returned, as the swordswoman started to head back towards the castle that may have been her home.

_Grandbell is going to invade... damnit, I won't be able to get Shanan to safety. Kinbois is going to use him to control me... That 'second invasion' will never happen. Odo above, the fact that Gandolf decided to retreat of all things because he's too damn aroused to think clearly guarantees that... Chalphy, he said, will come after them. No, not even Chalphy, but possibly someone far more dangerous. _She laughed harshly shaking her head in disgust. _Jamuka's going to side with Grandbell, I can tell. He likes Eddin as well, but at least the man has some sense of dignity. How the hell is someone like that related to those two idiots, anyway? _Ayra let out an angry sigh, and let her left hand grab the hilt of her katana. _No matter... the real problem is to figure out what I can do about this. _She stopped walking for a moment, and then felt her hand fall from her sword's handle. _Nothing. All I can do is fight Grandbell myself, and die cursing their existence._ Mariccle's words ran through her mind once again, and she spoke them aloud.

"I will die in this war," she stated, without a sense of hesitation. "Yes... you and me both, Brother. You'll have to forgive me... I failed in my duty."

Author's Note

Well, it's finally up. Sorry it took so long, call it a lack of motivation along with school and other related items taking up my time for what caused the delay.

As for the story, it is a total of 14 chapters, and focuses on Ayra the entire time. Hopefully I didn't do a poor job on this chapter, as it was the first I wrote, and the start is always difficult.

Please leave a review, and let me know of any criticism, ideas, etc, because it really does help.

*I promise that the rest of this story will not take a long time for me to get done. Editing can take a long time, but I'll make time to work on this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the rights to Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu. The characters, story elements, and setting are owned by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

_**Chronicles of a Swordswoman**_

**Chapter Two**

Kinbois's army failed to return. Ayra leaned back against the stone wall of Genoa, and briefly patted down her battle outfit—small shoulder pads, gauntlets to protect her hands and wrists, and a dark blue, slightly tight sword-fighter's robe. Frowning, she tightened her sash a little more, but in the process let her sword fall from her side. _... I'm in no position to criticize Shanan now, am I? _Ayra rolled her eyes, and bent down to pick up the sheathed katana after making sure her clothes fit the way she wanted. _I need to be able to move quickly in this outfit. The reports that came from the survivors were that the majority of Sigurd of Chalphy's army were cavalry, with a few foot soldiers. I can't outrun a horse, but I need to be able to dodge attacks. _She hooked the scabbard along a brown belt that ran around her back, shoulders, and clasped at small, white breast-plate. _I really don't like discarding a lot of my armor, but speed is more important right now..._

"Ayra!" one of the axe-fighters yelled, "We're moving out! Prince Kinbois will need our support!"

"He's already dead. If no one has returned to even inform the guards, then they were all killed," she retorted, but pushed away from the wall nonetheless.

"You can't know that," the Verdanian soldier retaliated, a harsh sneer on his face. "They were probably farther north than Prince Kinbois guessed."

Ayra did not answer, instead starting her path away from the castle. _If they want to fight me, they'll do so on my ground. If I can gain some advantage, it will help..._ She let out a sad sigh, feeling a shiver run down her spine. _Shanan, I'm sorry. You were there when they ordered me onto the field. Please, forgive your aunt for her failure. _

The moderately sized army continued walking, Ayra hanging along near the back. After about twenty minutes, she stopped. The swordswoman stood still for a moment, before turning to the west, and striding towards a narrow patch of earth along the forest trees. One of the commanders noticed her absence. "Ayra! Get back into the formation!" he ordered.

"I'll take my chances here! I'm working as a mercenary, not as one of your enlisted soldiers!" she yelled back. She come to a stop at the small ravine on the side of the main path.

The commander suddenly ordered the army to halt. He looked over the terrain, and after a moment, shouted a command to fortify defenses along the road. The heavily armored axe knight walked over to Ayra, his helmet masking any expression he could make. "You're stopping for the terrain, aren't you? I'd of thought a random mercenary from Isaac wouldn't have been this creative."

Ayra responded in a deadpan tone, "I just happen to know that cavalry aren't well-suited for narrow areas."

"Fair enough," the commander replied, before turning back to his soldiers.

Ayra knelt down, tucking her feet below her behind, and closed her eyes. _Breathe deeply... in, out, in, out..._ Her masters always told her to meditate before going into battle. Before the battle on the ship, she did not have time to try. Now, even as she waited, it seemed impossible to focus. _That Gandolf was a pig... brutish, cocky, and waving around that Grandbellian woman without a care for her safety. To top it off, she appeared to be a priestess! She's just lucky he controlled his hormones enough not to try and rape her then and there... but I can see why he went mad. The woman is pretty. She has a slender body, and gorgeous blond hair... and I do pity her for enduring this. Ugh... pull yourself together Ayra. Now is not the time..._ She shivered, as the sound of hooves impacting ground started to reach her ears._ They are here._ She pushed herself up from the ground, and gathered her black hair behind her shoulders.

"Men, stand ground! Wait to greet Prince Kinbois as he returns!" the commander shouted as the roar of approaching cavalry increased its ferocity.

A nervous chuckle slipped out of her lips, as Ayra narrowed her eyes to try and make out the approaching force. She caught a glimpse of the army's standards—a dark blue flag, with the crest of Baldo in a red hue—and felt her entire body freeze. _No... move! Move!_

"Charge!" she heard a soldier scream, and even more made any one declaration indecipherable. A cloud of dust started to form in their wake, getting swept up as they sprinted forward. As it settled, she could see the carnage ensue.

"It's not even a fight..." she whispered to herself. Her legs shaking, the swordswoman somehow managing to transport her right hand to the hilt of her katana. Ahead, she could make out the silhouettes of Chalphy's army tearing through those of Verdane. At its head was a tall, gangly man wielding a slightly-curved sabre atop his mount, while another man spun a long spear around his mount like a baton just to the leader's side. Others were a pair of mounted knights using their own sabres to cut through the army of Verdane. Arrows flashed above their heads, raining down upon them... but not near Ayra. Near the western side of the line between the armies, she saw a man dismount, wielding a battle axe as he moved forward. As he ran towards the back of the line, balls of flame crashed into Verdanian axe knights in his way, keeping him oddly protected, until he broke through the wall of soldiers, who did not seem to notice someone was behind them. Instead, they closed the gap in the line, and the spell attacks seemed to loose a certain focus. The axe knight instead kept walking south... and Ayra suddenly realized that **she** was his target. "Odo help me," she whispered.

The knight wore blue and black plate armor, some colored red from the earlier battles. He carried his battle axe loosely, somehow secure even with his back to the Verdane army. What was most astonishing, however, was that he discarded his helmet along the side of the path as he approached, revealing an angular face, with blue hair that formed a widow's peak at his forehead, but framed the sides of his face. He stopped a few meters from the swordswoman, and bowed his head. "I noticed you didn't charge with your comrades. Any particular reason?" he asked, in a strangely kind tone.

_Stop. Shaking. This man has no idea who you are, and what you are capable of. So STOP. SHAKING._

Ayra willed herself to stay calm, even with this trained soldier in front of her. "I'm a mercenary, not one of their soldiers. And I decided that choosing my field of battle was a better option," she replied, in as hostile a tone as she could muster. Even with her loathing of Grandbell evident in her mind, the fear of death somehow masked those emotions.

"I'd expect none less from an Isaacian swordswoman," the knight responded, a slight smile on his face. "Honestly, I'm amazed that Verdane's soldiers are so poorly-trained... but, considering that Kinbois decided to blindly charge Sigurd without a second thought..." he chucked awkwardly, but then shook his head. "Sorry. I thought that someone from Isaac would want to have an honest duel, rather than be caught up in the chaos of battle... especially given the current situation," he explained, a hint of anger in his voice that Ayra could not place.

The Isaacian's hand tightened around the hilt of her sword. "How kind of you," she sarcastically replied, crouching into a defensive pose.

"I also wanted to test my skills against an Isaacian. Call it mutual benefit if you want," he countered, the smile changing towards an excited smirk. "I am Lex of Dozel. You?"

_Dozel? That guy's a soldier under one of the dukedoms that is leading the fight against my country?_ Ayra bristled, rage starting to overpower the crippling fear in her body.

"My name is irrelevant," she retorted, drawing her katana as she spoke. She held it in front of her, both hands on the hilt.

"Have it your way," Lex responded, bringing his axe into a battle position.

The two stood across from each other, both waiting for the other to attack first. Ayra started to feel the anxiety fade away, and her attention focusing on the axe knight in front of her. _This is just another sparring match. Calm down. _The rest of the world seemed to fade away, as all her concentration honed in on her opponent. He was still smiling. _Treat this like a game, huh? Prepare yourself! _Ayra dashed forward, clearing the distance between them in a few seconds. Her sword arced for his stomach, but he spun his axe to guard her strike. As her sword fell back from the impact, Ayra spun quickly, her blade taking advantage of the centripetal force to aim at his legs from the other side. Lex almost expected it, stopping his axe's spin to block with its handle. Her first surprise came when the impact failed to cut into the wooden haft, and the second was when Lex spun his battle axe around, trying to catch her katana between the axe head and the handle. Ayra pulled back, bringing her sword around to a thrusting stance. Lex crouched, holding his two-bladed axe so its head was parallel to the ground. He moved first this time, slashing from his right for her ribs. Ayra crouched low, letting the axe fly above her head. She spun the katana to her right, and rammed Lex's stomach with her hilt. Even though his armor absorbed the impact, the man still staggered back. Ayra swept her sword up, trying to catch Lex's axe as she moved, but the man was too quick. He quickly regained his footing as he continued his axe's spin, stepping forward to cut at her shoulders. Ayra jumped back, letting the weapon pass just in front of her. _I can't block a blow from that weapon. He's already strong, but he keeps using the rotation for both strength and speed... this guy is no ordinary axe wielder. _She dashed forward, her sword cutting through the air as it aimed for his neck. Lex let go of his axe with his right hand, and managed to block her attack with the back of his gauntlet. He quickly spun his arm, grabbing her katana with his hand before turning with the swing of his axe, still carried in his left. Ayra let go of her sword, ducking as the axe flew above her head again. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _

She jumped back, quickly untying the scabbard from her belt. Lex lowered his axe, having thrown her katana a few meters away from him—on the side she was not, much to Ayra's ire. "You're still fighting, even without your sword?" he asked, a puzzled look on his face. She noticed he had dark blue eyes, and that oddly, she noticed no hostility in them.

_Oh, now you're just looking down on me. You've just pissed me off a lot, Grandbellian._

"I will not retreat a meter, no matter what the reason," she spat back, "Don't think this will end that easily."

"Trust me... if you stopped hesitating, it would be a lot more fun," he countered, crouching down once more.

_H-hesitating?_ Ayra bolted forward, bringing her scabbard up from the ground towards his pelvis. Lex blocked with the handle of his axe, and turned to the side, letting her momentum carry her forward. _If I go for my sword, he strikes me. _Ayra dove into a roll, coming out on her feet while still facing her opponent. Lex raised his eyebrows in surprise, but an exited glint flashed in his eyes. He pulled his axe behind his head, and charged, bringing his axe down in a near-vertical cut. Ayra dodged to her right, swinging her scabbard towards his ribs, but he continued his axe's spin to block her strike. As it peaked over his head again, Ayra jumped back as it came down in a near horizontal slash. She pulled her sheath into a defensive pose, and shifted to her left as his axe fell from the same direction. She swung the metallic sheath towards him, but Lex turned with his weapon this time, avoiding her blow while his own weapon arced towards her neck. Ayra fell into a backwards somersault, nearly evading the axe swing. This time, she knew there was enough distance between them, and dashed for her sword. As she bent to pick up her katana, she heard the sound of something being unlatched from a piece of armor, and turned to see Lex holding a hand axe in his left hand.

_Shit!_ He threw the weapon in an arc, aiming low on her body. Ayra jumped in a flip forward, the axe passing underneath her body. She landed deftly, and bolted towards Lex, her scabbard dropped and both hands on the hilt of her sword. Inside, something seemed to take over her actions, so that her movements became unconscious ones. She spun before reaching him, her katana crashing into the hand axe on the return journey to its master. The impact shook her arms, making her grunt in pain, but she continued her spin to face Lex as he moved toward, his axe held at the ready. Ayra slashed diagonally up, crashing against the head of Lex's axe. She continued with the path as his axe spun around, cutting again towards his thighs from the other direction. Lex jumped back, evading her blow as his axe continued its spin. Ayra reversed her sword's direction, following the knight as his axe spun around the opposite direction. She attacked from below, causing her foe to retreat even more. His axe spun down to block her next strike, but she seemed to anticipate it. She swung at the gap between the point of his axe's haft and its head, stopping its spin but sending waves of pressure down her arms. Lex was struggling too, both of their weapons locked. He made the first move, turning to the left as he spun his axe along its handle the same way. The motion caught her katana between the handle and head of his weapon, and wrenched it from her hands, sending it bolting towards the ground. However, Ayra let go of her sword, and swung her left arm around at his head, backhanding Lex in the face. He staggered back, loosing his grip on the battleaxe. Ayra continued after him, aiming to punch him again with her right arm, but the axe knight caught it with his left hand, and grabbed her arm with his right. The swordswoman punched at him with her left, but he turned, moving her arm with her. Rather than let him pull her to the ground, she did not fight this movement. Instead, she spun with him, using her right foot as a pivot, and slammed her leg into his thigh. She groaned, the recoil from his armor sending waves of pain up her leg, but he did let go of her arm. Both breathing heavily, Lex smiled as he turned around.

"Heh... that's the first time... someone outside of my family... has figured out that style..." he said between breaths as he walked towards the two weapons. He crouched down to pick up her sword, and then turned around... holding it to her, hilt first. "It would be a shame not to finish this with our own weapons, don't you think?" the axe knight questioned, a genuine smile on his face, albeit marred by the blood from her earlier strike.

Grimacing from the wound on her leg, Ayra actually started to laugh. _This guy is crazy..._ She managed to nod, while tearing off some of the fabric from her sash. She crouched down, and started to tie a tourniquet around her slightly bleeding shin. _That kick may not have been the smartest move..._ She noticed Lex put her katana down next to her, and then he turned around to pick up his battle axe.

Lex stood up, his axe held in his right hand. He turned to face the swordswoman, and then raised his left arm to his chest. "I believe a formal introduction is due... I am Lex, youngest son of Langobolt of Dozel," he declared, bowing slightly to his foe.

The Isaacian did not fully grasp his identity in her single-minded state. "Ayra of Isaac," she replied, as her hand closed around the hilt of her katana.

Ayra crouched down, and then dashed at the axe knight. She swung her sword up as she neared Lex, her blade perpendicular to the ground. Lex stepped back, her attack only centimeters away from her target. Ayra jumped into the air with her katana, turning it above her head at the apex of her jump. She swung down as she fell, but the axe knight blocked the strike with the bit between the handle and head of his weapon. The swordswoman pulled her sword back upon striking his axe, in anticipation of a spin of his weapon. Lex did not try that tactic this time, instead taking a step back for distance. He then swung his axe from his left, aiming for the swordswoman as she landed. However, he misjudged, and Ayra was farther back than Lex expected. The Isaacian smirked, rushing forward in a flash. Lex ran his right hand down the handle of his axe, pulling it back to block a vertical cut from Ayra. The swordswoman did not stop there, quickly turning to strike at his left side. Lex barely managed to block this strike with the end of his axe's handle. He pushed his axe forward, trying to throw her off balance, but she was already moving to strike from another direction. The axe knight managed to spin his axe to block her third blow, but the sword slid down the blade of his axe away from the handle. Ayra dashed in close. She slammed the hilt of her sword into Lex's breastplate. He staggered back, only barely maintaining his balance. Ayra spun her sword above her head, before swinging it down across his body, the sound of steel cutting against steel ringing through her ears. Lex fell onto his back, the armor dented in from her strike. The battle axe fell next to him, the blade digging slightly into the ground.

Ayra stepped forward, setting her foot on Lex's chest, her katana pointed at his neck. "You... win..." he whispered. He then closed his eyes, and leaned his head back, exposing his neck even more to the swordswoman.

She found herself breathing heavily, her body beginning to shake. _I... I won..._ The adrenaline started to dissipate, and the reality of the situation set it. _I... I'm about to take a man's life... with my own sword._ Her body seemed to freeze, but her breathing became more ragged. _Why am I hesitating? He would have killed me if I lost. So why... why can't I move?_ She suddenly staggered back, while her entire body shook like a rag doll. Ayra fell onto her knees, the katana falling to the ground beside her, silent tears running down her cheeks. _I... I can't kill him. I can't kill... for years I have trained with the sword, and I can't kill someone who is from the very country that is killing my people!_

Ayra did not know how long she was in her trance, until a very familiar voice broke through to her. "Ayra!" she heard someone shout. She looked up, realizing that the sound of a horse approaching mixed with that person's words. "I'm safe! Please, stop fighting!" the young, kind of high-pitched voice cried. She finally placed it—Shanan.

"Shanan?" she yelled, as she stood up. Ayra turned her head back and forth, trying to see where her nephew was. She heard a horse neigh as it came to a stop, and the sound of someone's feet hitting the ground only seconds afterwards. She turned to the south, relief flowed through her being when she saw Shanan dash toward her. Ayra crouched down, and her arms locked the child into an embrace once he reached her. "You're alright... you're alright..." she whispered, as a smile broke across her face.

"Ayra, you don't need to fight anymore. They... they promised that we will be protected," he spoke, while his grip around his aunt tightened.

"They?" she asked, not noticing the presence behind her. Granted, it was because the man's attention was not on the two Isaacians. However, after Shanan's comment she was able to hear his words.

"Baldo above, she ruined your armor, Lex," the man stated, a rather shocked tone reaching her ears. Ayra looked up, and broke her embrace with Shanan to stand. She turned to see the back of a man in pale-white cavalry armor, the shoulder pads slightly decorated with black emblems depicting the crest of Chalphy. He was looking down, only some of his light blue hair visible. "I honestly expected you to be injured more than this," he continued, "I would never want to face one of Isaac's royalty in combat."

Ayra felt her stomach freeze, and looked down at her nephew. "Shanan," she mouthed, "you told them?" her face a mixture of shock and horror.

"I had no choice, Ayra..." the child whimpered, "The first thing I told them was you were fighting out here... and Lord Sigurd picked me up, and said that we'll get you to stop. He asked me who I was, and, well... he knew just from my name."

_I think there's more to it, Shanan..._ She looked up, seeing Lex standing next to a tree without his armor on. There was a cut in his underclothes where she struck his armor, and there was a red tinge to them. _Why didn't he finish me off?_

"Royalty?" the man asked, shock in his voice, "No wonder... suppose that's where that sudden flash of green came from," he stated.

"Shanan, stay close," Ayra whispered, gently pulling the child against her body. "We don't know what they will do..."

"Hm..." the man of Chalphy pondered, "I'll explain to you in a bit, Lex," he spoke. The man turned to face Ayra and Shanan, a gentle expression on his rather angular face. He walked towards them, while Ayra took a step back for each of his. "Please... I'm even unarmed," the man stated in an exasperated tone. The swordswoman briefly skimmed over his body—gray leggings, the white armor dotted with blood, and... no sword. She turned her head towards the white horse that he rode in on, noticing a steel lance, a pair of javelins, and a sheathed sabre latched to its saddle. All of them were tightly bound, so much so that it would need a bit of work to free them.

_Wait... he's not even trying to threaten me?_ A tug at her robes turned her attention to Shanan.

"Please Ayra... he's a good guy. Just listen to him..." the child pleaded, a desperate look in his dark brown eyes.

Ayra looked up as the knight stopped about a meter away from the two. "Princess Ayra of Isaac, I am Lord Sigurd of Chalphy. However, I would prefer if we could do without the titles... they feel really uncomfortable to me," he spoke, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand. Out of the corner of her eye, Ayra noticed Lex had taken his shirt off, and was rubbing what looked like a potion along his wounds.

_A vulnerary?_

"Your nephew told me what your situation was when I asked. I deeply regret that our countries are at war, but I can offer you protection if you travel alongside the army of Chalphy," he continued, and she noticed that he carried two more along his belt.

_That can't be in case I was..._

Ayra scoffed, shaking her head with a disgusted look on her face. "Ha! We were wrongfully invaded by Grandbell, my father killed by Grandbellian soldiers when he was traveling to Barhara to explain the situation in Rivough, and you are offering to protect us?"

Sigurd lowered his head, letting out a deep sigh. "I know you have been traveling by yourselves since the war started. I can understand why you fled to Verdane, but think of it this way: Upon arriving in Verdane, they forced you into their army against your will, and threatened the life of your nephew if you did not cooperate. We were the ones who freed Shanan from their custody. I promise, I will not betray your identities. You have my word as the descendant of Baldo, Crusader of Light, that I will keep your heritage safe," he spoke, lowering himself to he knee on the last sentence. "If I do not, then by all means, you may take vengeance upon me."

The swordswoman remained silent. _This... this is a Grandbellian lord?_

"Ayra," Shanan stated, "Please give him a chance."

The Isaacian looked down at her nephew, and then back at Sigurd. _Father, Brother, please let this be the right decision. Please let this leave me without regrets..._ She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

Ayra's eyes opened, looking directly into those of Baldo's descendant. "Very well. I, Princess Ayra of Isaac, will place my fate, as well as that of my nephew, the Crown Prince Shanan, into your hands, Sigurd of Chalphy. I trust you will not betray it," she declared without hesitation.

Sigurd stood up and walked over to the swordswoman, a small smile on his face. "Your trust will be returned. That's the way of an Isaacian warrior, right?"

Ayra blinked, stunned for a second, before a sad smile formed on her face. "That it is..." she replied.

Even from the back of the army of Chalphy, Ayra could see the battle unfolding along the roads towards Marpha. In her arms, Shanan kept his face averted from the chaos of war, while Ayra found herself entranced. Sigurd's army cut the forces of Marpha in half, the cavalry turning around upon breaking through the line. At the same time, the armorknights kept advancing into the remaining axe fighters of Marpha's soldiers. Arrows flew overhead, with occasional blasts of flame magic arcing into the sky. "How much longer, Ayra?" Shanan asked, still afraid to look at the ensuing combat, while the clashing of metal and screams of pain reached their ears.

"I can't say. All I know is that Verdane stands no chance."

Shannan nodded into her shoulder, his body beginning to shake. Another hand fell on his shoulder, drawing Ayra's attention away from the field of battle. The priest stood next to them, a sad smile framing her delicate features. "I wish that we could have avoided this," she whispered.

"Even though they tried to force you into marriage?" Ayra questioned, a bit of shock in her voice.

"Many of them have nothing to do with Gandolf's... horrifying plans. I suspect many do not know what he intended to do, only that we are invading their country," Eddin answered, holding her Relive staff tight in her hands.

"So then why can't we just get him to come out, ignore everyone else?"

Eddin shook her head, and replied sadly, "I don't know. The evils of human nature, I guess."

"Yeah, I would say so," Ayra responded bitterly, "It's pretty sadistic."

"There are many people that are kind, though. One of the princes of Verdane saved me. Nothing is that simple."

The swordswoman began to snap a retort, but stopped when Shanan winced from the sharp sound of steel clashing. "I'm starting to learn that," she muttered.

A flag rose among the cavalry, the emblem of Chalphy shining blood red in the late day. The battles were won, and Gandolf's forces were retreating. A single knight approached, his bow slung over his shoulder. As he neared, Eddin's face lit up in joy. He pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted, his green armor marked in from opposing arrow impacts. Midale knelt before Eddin, head bowed. "My lady, the armies of Verdane are falling back. Lord Sigurd has decided to pursue them through the night," he explained. As he spoke, Ayra saw a few more arch knights approaching, each with their bows in a holster on their mount's saddle.

"He said to return to Genoa, right?" Ayra clarified.

"Correct. We're to escort you back, just in case bandits decide to strike. If you want to ride behind, we can get you to Genoa just before dark."

Eddin nodded once, and walked over to the green-haired arch knight. "Then we will accept your offer," she replied wearing a soft smile.

Ayra winced. _I hate riding..._

The forests in Isaac set Ayra at ease. Now, however, in the dense woods of the Spirit Forest, she was at wit's end. Sigurd ordered the army into the forests as King Batou's last forces approached Marpha, each group set up in small group of five individuals. Somehow, Ayra managed to loose her party within twenty minutes.

"Odo, this sucks," she muttered to herself.

_This was such a bad idea. Why did Sigurd ever decide to try and catch Verdane's army in this? I can't see a few meters in front of me because of all these damn trees. Ugh._ Ayra looked around, only faint streaks of light breaking through the canopy. _Where the hell am I?_

She started walking again, looking desperately for a path. Aside from the mass of trees, the forest helped travelers. The trees had few branches near ground level, and the brush was not tall either. This only helped push her nerves.

_Please, for Odo's sake, let me please find something._ Ayra pulled out a small knife, and cut into a nearby tree. _I really hope I don't end up finding my way back here..._

She continued walking. Time ticked by. They entered the woods with the sunrise, and from the angle of the few breaks of light through the leaves, she guessed it was around midday. She let out a heavy sigh, and closed her eyes. The sounds of the local wildlife were muted by the larger human presence, but the trees created such a barrier that any noise seemed to come from everywhere. "Damnit."

About two hours later, Ayra managed to find the main path. "Thank Odo," she whispered, walking over to the small group of soldiers moving across the trail. Surprisingly enough, Jamuka led the small procession. More displeasing, however, was that all of the soldiers had their weapons pointed in her direction, and Jamuka already had an arrow ready to fire.

_... Odo, why do you curse me?_

The archer lowered his bow before she could say a word, gently moving the bowstring back to its equilibrium position, and removed the arrow from the string. "I'm glad it's not another one of father's soldiers," he muttered. Only then did Ayra notice the armorknights traveling with Jamuka bore the crest of Chalphy on their shields.

"And I'm glad you didn't fire," she responded, in an attempt to mask her relief. "You switched sides too?"

"I couldn't serve my father any more," he whispered, and turned his face away.

"So we're going to destroy him?"

Jamuka shook his head in response. "We're heading to Evans. The 'advisor'," he spoke in a very sarcastic tone, "is protecting the castle, and he uses long-range magic. As much as I want to kill the bastard, I can't get anywhere near him..."

Ayra nodded in response. "I understand. So how did you learn this?"

"Sigurd sent a message back. All the cavalry divisions are to continue forward to Verdane itself, and everyone else should start heading back towards Evans. He said that a maiden of the forest told him, and they have a very good reputation."

"A maiden of the forest?" Ayra questioned, as the small division started to move once more.

"These woods are called the Spirit Forest, but in truth, these parts are only an extension. The densest part of the forest are where those who live here dwell. They keep away from any outsiders unless it is to purchase goods at Marpha," he explained.

"So then why would one of them approach Sigurd?"

"I don't know. I spoke with a few of them once or twice, but only briefly. They believe that those who leave their village will be cursed with misfortune."

Ayra frowned, and crossed her arms over her chest. "Seems like a superstition to me, but I'm not going to question it," she muttered.

"It still worries me," Jamuka whispered, his hand resting on his quiver.

Ayra glanced at the Verdane prince, and saw the grief in his eyes. _Poor man. I can't imagine what it is like to actively betray your family... _

"I believe it."

Sigurd stood at one end of a platform, a worried expression on his face. The presence of the silver-haired maiden did not cause a change of mood, much to the surprise of those native to Verdane. Ayra sighed, leaning against the support beam in the audience chamber of Evans castle. _Well, something's odd._ She looked over towards Jamuka, who focused his gaze on Sigurd, almost accusingly. _This is the first time everyone has met after Verdane fell a few days ago, Sigurd's been isolating himself into the library along with that young man, Oifaye. I don't know happened, but... eh._ She looked towards Eddin, the priestess wearing her hood down, a smile on her face as the arch knight Midale teased her. _I really am glad Jamuka worked out a way to rescue her. I am surprised, using that thief that Shanan caught to lead her to safety was a clever move. Plus, it took some of the blame away from him._ Her eyes fell on the knights from Lenster—Duke Cuan, his wife Ethlin, and their retainer Finn. She learned from some of the soldiers after Verdane fell that Ethlin was Sigurd's sister, and that the three arrived at Chalphy just as the battle with Gandolf's soldiers was taking place. Apparently, they were heading towards Barhara to discuss the war with Isaac, but were delayed by the birth of their daughter, Althenna, and time for Ethlin to recover strength after the delivery. A merchant informed them of Verdane's invasion, so they changed course to support Ethlin's brother. She also heard that Lex and the mage, Azel, rushed across Grandbell to support Sigurd's army as well. Honestly, the diversity of Chalphy's army surprised her. The leaders of the cavalry were mainly from Chalphy, but the lance division was headed by Lenster, an axe core was led by Lex, and archers were led by Midale. Ethlin and Eddin were in charge of healers, while the armorknight Arden headed the smaller armored division. _If I'm going to fit in here, I have no idea where... or if I can even fight. _She shuddered, and pushed the memory of her duel with Lex to the back of her mind. However, she was glad she did not end up killing him. _I really don't know what I would have been able to do if I let my sword fall..._

Sigurd cleared his throat before he spoke. "I am afraid to say what many of you already know... King Batou of Verdane was killed by an assassin's dagger. The culprit, we believe, was the newest advisor to the Verdane throne, Sandima." As the lord talked, one person strode forward—Jamuka.

"How do you know it was him? I know that Sandima was a bastard and provoked the entire war by brainwashing my father and leading my foolish siblings along the wrong path, but..."

The lord of Chalphy shuddered before he answered, "We entered the castle just before Batou's death. I... was there in his last moments, along with Diadora," he gestured to the woman beside him. "Oifaye also saw him, and spoke to the retainers at Verdane. They were told a short time before we arrived at the castle that Sandima released a statement saying that the king was ill, and that a doctor he knew had arrived to treat him. The doctor in question was covered in dark black robes, leaving his face in the shadows. All of this points to Sandima stabbing Batou a short time before we defeated him. The problem is that this is not isolated..."

As he spoke, Jamuka fell to his knees, his eyes wide and body shaking. The man tensed up, and Ayra's heart went out to him. _I know how he feels... loosing your family is terrible, and knowing it was an assassin only amplifies things._

Sigurd breathed heavily before he continued. "The reason I have not spoken to you yet is because it concerns something that King Batou told me before he passed on—the involvement of the Dark Sect. Oifaye and I have been researching this organization over the past few days, and we found some rather... disturbing news," he spoke. The lord looked down at the young tactician, and nodded. "Oifaye, if you would?"

The young man with shoulder-length light brown hair walked up to the platform, and turned to face the rest of the commanders. A grim expression etched itself onto his face. "The Dark Sect is also known as the Lopt Sect, or the Loptous Church," he stated. A shiver ran through the audience, and Ayra felt a chill run down her spine. "We know based on our research and King Batou's research very little. They are a group dedicated to the restoration of the Dark Lord Loputousu."

Cuan stepped forward, his tall figure easily visible. "You're saying these people want that sadist back?" he asked or screamed, Ayra did not exactly know which.

"That is correct," Oifaye answered, "There is very little evidence on who they are, where they are, or what they desire in the short term. All we know is that their end goal is to restore Emperor Galle to rule over Jurgdal."

No one spoke for a moment. Azel then stepped forward. "How do we know that Sandima was part of this Dark Sect?" he asked. The mage kept his red hood up for some reason, even though it was not necessary. Ayra thought it was because of his rather obvious crush on Eddin.

Oifaye turned to Diadora. The shaman nodded in response, and took a step forward while her pale white gown followed her every step. "The Loptous Church uses staffs and dark magic exclusively... they regard the elemental spells as inferior, and treat light magic as a plague. Sandima... entered the Spirit Forest many times while he was in Verdane, always looking for somebody from Grandbell. I always hid... the man terrified me. I heard all this from some of the villagers, who found out who exactly he was, and what he was trying to do," she said in her gentle voice. Diadora also started to shudder, as she dug up the memories of her past. "We were always preparing in case he ordered the Verdane army to attack. Many of the others could use weapons, but I trained with light magic and staffs. They told me that I would be the one who could cripple him, but I never really believed them until I tried while alongside Lord Sigurd..." she paused for a moment, to look at the man next to her. He offered the shaman a warm smile.

Ayra looked over at the knight named Noish, a blonde-haired man with a perpetually serious expression on his face. "Noish, could I ask you something?" she asked.

The man looked over at her, nodding once. "Sure."

"What exactly did Diadora do?"

"I guess you don't talk to many people," he muttered before speaking up, "She is very skilled with staffs, and she silenced him before he could do any permanent harm." He smiled slightly. "After that, we were able to move in quickly, and Sigurd finished him off in a few seconds. A sage, no matter how skilled, is helpless under a silence spell."

Ayra nodded, her annoyance at his first comment being pushed to the back of her mind. "Thanks," she stated, and then looked towards Sigurd once more.

The lord was in the middle of answering a question, posed by one of the knights. Alec or Lex, she guessed. "I'm going to send Oifaye to Barhara to ask King Azmur if he knows anything about this cult. I don't think it should be left to a messenger... especially because it involves the Loptous Empire of the past. Anyone who is found to carry the blood of Loptous is burned at the stake... so it's a very serious matter," Sigurd answered. "Are there any more questions?"

Ayra glanced around the room, seeing no one else step forward. _I'd like to ask about the war in Isaac... but I think it would be best left for a private inquiry. There is not much news around here... Kinbois always kept any details hidden, and most of the people of Verdane did not pay attention to what occurred in Isaac._

Contented, Sigurd nodded once. "Alright, dismissed!"

Author's Note

Not much to say here... went a bit overboard with the fight scene, but I think it turned out well.

This took longer to edit for personal reasons... the death of one of my cats.

Sport: March 23, 1996 to November 13, 2010. May you rest in peace.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the rights to Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu. The characters, story elements, and setting are owned by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

_**Chronicles of a Swordswoman**_

**Chapter Three**

Ayra caught up with the Duke of Lenster first. To her surprise, he already seemed to know her identity. "You're Ayra, aren't you?"

"Yes, your majesty," she replied, her head bent forward in a small bow.

He chuckled quietly. "There isn't a need for formality between royalty unless it's an official meeting," he stated, a small smile across his lips that seemed rather... unnatural in her eyes. His face was very harsh, with a rather pointed appearance that his rather long dark brown hair did not help, as it was brushed to hang over his forehead.

"Wait, how did you-"

"Find out?" he finished he question before she could state it. "Easy. Sigurd said the boy you are with is named Shanan. Your name is Ayra. My family enjoyed good relations with the royalty of Isaac, and I know that King Mananan's daughter is named Ayra, and that the child of his son, Mariccle, is named Shanan. It really wasn't hard to figure out," he responded in a blunt tone. "I'm guessing you want to know what's going on with the war?"

Honestly, the speed at which Cuan got to the point surprised her. Even more so that every one of his conclusions was dead accurate. "Well, yes..." she answered, relatively stunned.

Cuan crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned against the wall of the hallway. "In that case, we can help each other," he responded. "Seeing as my questions are about the origins, I'll go first."

_Wow. Honestly, I expected someone a bit less sharp... his appearance does not at all reflect his actual intelligence. Personality, yes, but this guy is extremely perceptive._

"Why exactly did the raid on Darna occur? I heard about your father from my own, and I was under the impression that something like that would never happen under his orders."

Ayra pushed back the anger boiling up from the accusation. _Now is not the time._

"That is because it didn't. Rivough's rulers **were** very independent from the royalty, that is until they launched the raid. My father sent an army to seize the governors the instant we learned of the attack. My brother led them himself," she replied, and then held up a hand to stop the incoming question from Lenster's ruler before she continued. "Once that was under control, we received word of Granbell's outrage, and demands for an answer. My father set out himself to speak with Prince Kurth at Velthomer."

This time, Ayra was too slow to block Cuan's question. "So then why did the war occur? Why did Isaac rise up in a rage and declare war before Grandbell did?"

Ayra let out a deep breath, and lowered her head. "Wait, you didn't know what occurred?" she asked. Cuan shook his head. "That's because only a few hours after my father entered Grandbell, he was assassinated. We don't know who or why, only that someone did it to make the war a certainty," she answered. "My brother sent Shanan and I away because he feared that we would die in the war. He believed that Isaac had no chance against Grandbell's armies, but that after the assassination, no Isaacian citizen would let Grandbell go unharmed for their action."

"If you don't know who, why did you assume it was Grandbell?"

Ayra felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle. "Who else would have killed my father? He was stabbed multiple times and had deep burn scars on his body! There is no doubt someone from Grandbell killed him!"

Cuan nodded slowly, his hand raised in a gesture to stop. "Alright, sorry," he muttered, a calculating look on his face. She noticed him whisper something under his breath.

"What is it?"

The duke smiled slightly in response. "Nothing you need to worry about, just something involving Lenster. Now, I believe it's your turn."

Ayra gave him an annoyed look, but continued on nonetheless. "Alright... what do you know of the events in Isaac? In Verdane, no one really knew, or they deliberately kept information from me."

Cuan frowned, and then scratched the area beneath his right ear. "Honestly, I do not know a lot. The people that would are on the front. What I have heard is that the armies of Freege and Dozel are at the front alongside Prince Kurth and Duke Byron of Chalphy. There have been a few worrisome events, though... Dukes Langobolt and Leptor have ordered no mercy to be given to any prisoners of war, and for members of the royal family to be killed on sight. Prince Kurth did hear of those commands, but there's still the anger over the attack on Darna. Duke Byron, Sigurd's father, also doesn't seem to be doing much. I heard from Sigurd he was against the war in the first place, and wanted to investigate something involving Darna, but he was overruled. I'm willing to bet now that it was the disappearance of your father."

Ayra braced herself for her next question. "Have you heard anything about my brother, Mariccle?"

"I'm sorry, but I have not."

The swordswoman nodded slowly, and turned away from the King of Lenster. "You mentioned Dozel... would one of those men be Lex's father?" she questioned.

"Yes."

There was a brief pause before Ayra answered, "Thank you." She began to walk away.

"Don't hold it against him though, Lex despises his family. He thinks of Langobolt along the same levels as Loputousu," Cuan yelled after her, not completely sure if she was listening. The man sighed, shaking his head. "Great... now we've got a pissed off Isaacian swordswoman in our army. Hope she calms down before we have to fight again..." he muttered to himself.

Ayra's face maintained a tranquil expression, but her thoughts proved otherwise. _His family, his father, their armies are trying to slaughter the people of my country my brother, and kill me? Odo above, knowing what they did to my father, I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to do worse..._ She clenched her right hand into a fist. _If Sigurd dares try to use me, I will slit his throat without hesitation. That goes for everyone else here as well..._ Ayra slammed her fist against the wall, not caring that it sent sharp signals of pain through her arm. _On my father's honor, I will act without any hesitation._

Ayra never understood how people could say 'Time flew by.' The past two weeks seemed like torture to her. Even with Sigurd's pledge to protect her and Shanan, she felt all the soldiers of his army wanted her and her nephew dead. Cuan and Jamuka were exceptions, obviously... but her trust in any other individual was sorely lacking.

Maybe that was the reason she hid in the gap between the door and the wall when Eltoshan of Nodion arrived to visit Sigurd. What surprised her was the camaraderie between not only them, but with Cuan as well. _How are they so friendly with each other? They're from different countries, different backgrounds... so why are they acting like kids? I can't even see their faces. Granted, this is the only way I will find out what is going on, but still..._

Eltoshan's low voice rang through her ears, "I'm a bit hurt by this, Sigurd! You're getting married, and you don't even send me an invitation? Who was the first one I told about my engagement to Grahnye?"

"I'm sorry Eltoshan, we've been extremely busy as of late," Sigurd apologized.

"How is Grahnye, anyway? Has your child been born yet or not?" Cuan asked.

"Wonderful. I haven't seen her so excited since our wedding day. And she gave birth shortly before I came to visit," Eltoshan responded, his voice filled with pride, "We have a little boy... Aless."

"Congratulations!" each man replied, their answers out of unison. A bit of awkward silence ensued.

_Figuring out who speaks first..._

Cuan went first, it seemed, "Well, how's it feel to be a father?"

"More work than it ought to be," he responded, a little laugh in his tone, "Little Aless won't let us get any rest, and Grahnye refuses to let any of the retainers take care of him. She's mad at me because I even came down here, simply because she has to take care of him all by herself."

"Ethlin was the same way, until Althenna decided her mother didn't need sleep when I left to do some inspections of the border soldiers. After that..."

Sigurd burst out laughing, his voice wavering as a result, "Who knew my bull-headed sister could be beaten by a lack of sleep?"

"My daughter," Cuan countered, "Less than two months old, and she got her to change her mind. You in your twenty-two years as her brother never figured out her weakness."

"You mean to say you knew it, Cuan?" Eltoshan countered, "I seem to remember you complaining about how stubborn your wife is when you started dating."

The king of Lenster started to chuckle. "I found out on our wedding night."

Eltoshan laughed. "You win this one... I'm not even going to ask."

"I'd rather not know my sister's preferences, Cuan..." Sigurd replied. The sound of a chair being pushed back reached Ayra's ears. "Well, should I introduce you to my bride-to-be?"

"I suppose so," the lord of Nodion responded, and the same sound registered in the Isaacian's head.

_Might as well escape after they leave... _She heard Cuan follow suit, as the three of them walked out. She heard Cuan ask about his sister's welfare, which caused Eltoshan to pause for some reason. As they turned into the hallway, she heard Sigurd say something, but the swordswoman could not make it out. _Odo above, I sneak in here, hide myself in the door, and this is all they talk about? What a waste of time._ Ayra edged out from behind the wooden door, careful not to make a sound, and left the room. She started towards the living quarters—her sword was left in her room so she didn't need to worry about it hitting the wall in the small conference room. Ayra rounded the corner into the residence hallway, and felt her heart freeze in place. Sigurd, Cuan, Diadora, and Eltoshan were standing in the middle of the corridor. Unfortunately, Eltoshan was the one to notice her.

"Hey, Sigurd," he began, "sorry to cut you off, but who may that be?" he asked, his hand directed at the swordswoman.

Sigurd turned to look, his arm still around Diadora's shoulders. "Oh... Eltoshan, that is Ayra, a swordswoman who joined us in Verdane," he replied.

Ayra bowed her head. "It is an honor, Lord Eltoshan," she spoke in as regal a tone as she could muster.

Cuan looked from Sigurd to the swordswoman, before he nodded once in understanding. "I don't know all the reasons why, but she left Isaac before the war started, and we picked her up in Verdane. You know how Batou's older sons were," he added on.

Eltoshan's face worried her. Apprehension filled his gaze, and he covered his mouth in a thoughtful gesture. "Your name is Ayra, Sigurd said."

_Calm. Calm! Don't panic..._

"Yes. It is a common name in Isaac," she explained, with a forced smile on her face. Somehow, she could tell he was not buying it.

Diadora cleared her throat. "I think we should go someplace more private, right Lord Sigurd?" she asked, her gaze drifting to meet his own.

Sigurd nodded instantly, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You're exactly right, milady. Let's go!"

Ayra found herself shocked by just how fast the two ushered Cuan and Eltoshan into another room. "It's almost like they're a single human."

"Isn't it?" a female voice stated from behind the swordswoman.

"Auah!" Ayra responded by diving forward, rolling into a somersault, and the coming to her feet and facing the other direction. Earlier, she decided if someone did sneak up behind her in a non-battle situation, this would be preferable over trying to cut his or her head off. The woman responsible covered her mouth, muffling her laughter.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to sneak up on you like that," she apologized, a soft smile on her face.

Truthfully, Ayra did not know how Sigurd and his sister were related. The woman was slightly shorter than her older brother, and her strawberry-blond hair grew much the same way that Sigurd's did. The difference was in personality: Sigurd was very honest and attentive to a person's expressions, while Ethlin was more subdued and not as keen at reading people. That, and Sigurd would change his mind if the situation required it, while from what Ayra had already seen, Ethlin refused to back down from any challenge, no matter how big or small. Even at the Spirit Forest, she heard about Sigurd come to the verge of ordering Eddin to warp her back to Evans. It took Cuan's intervention to change his mind, as well as Ethlin's own manipulations. _Such an odd family..._

"No, it's... alright," Ayra responded, a bit at a loss for words.

Ethlin shook her head, walking over to the swordswoman. "Of course it is," she spoke, placing a hand on Ayra's shoulder. "Come on, let's go listen."

"What?" Ayra asked, almost in disbelief.

_Did she just say that?_

"You're worried about other people finding out, right?" Ethlin asked. She turned back to look at Ayra in the eyes, confusion in her chocolate-brown eyes at the Isaacian's hesitation.

"Wait, how do you-"

"Cuan told me. My husband's not one to hide things from me, and I did look into the affairs of Isaac for him after the war broke out... I wasn't able to find too much, my little girl made herself my priority," she explained, a melancholic smile on her face.

Ayra frowned, and turned her head toward the room that the four disappeared into. "I thought that he understood I didn't want people to know."

"Dear, there's a difference. A husband and wife who hide important information from each other cannot keep their marriage together. Besides, we can help vouch for Isaac if a discussion with Grandbell ever takes place."

The swordswoman looked back at the Duchess of Lenster. "What do you mean? Lenster and Grandbell are allied."

Ethlin let out a deep sigh, a sad smile on her face. "Ayra, you have a lot to learn about diplomacy... but I guess that's not surprising," she mused, "after all, your older brother was set to take the throne. I'm not too shocked that you weren't educated about the intricacies of international relationships..."

Ayra crossed her arms over her chest. _This is getting really annoying..._

"So could you explain it to me simply, then?"

"Basically, a country on friendly terms does not need to do what another demands. If they do, it's not an alliance; the other country is a puppet state. If you did seek refuge in Lenster, while Grandbell could have asked us to turn you over to them, knowing my husband, we would have refused. Isaac's rulers have shown time and time again that they will abide by their own code of honor. We would have fought Barhara over this, I'd expect," she paused to gather her thoughts, "Even though I am from Grandbell, my loyalties are now with my husband's country. I made that decision when I married Cuan, even if my father was displeased by it."

The swordswoman took a deep breath before speaking, "If so, then why didn't Lenster intervene?"

"The entire situation unfolded too quickly. Cuan was worried about the raid on Darna, and wanted to wait to hear your father's statements on it before acting. Then Isaac declared war. Cuan told me that the cause was your father's death. It wouldn't be wise to get involved then..." Ethlin replied, and then looked down at the floor. "Besides, we had our own problems at the time. Thracia was making more moves against Lenster, and Cuan had to respond in kind. It was only when their king, Trabant, left Thracia to do mercenary work that we could think about the situation with Isaac."

"Wait... what do you mean?" Ayra asked.

"The situation with Thracia?" When Ayra nodded, Ethlin's eyes widened in surprise. "You didn't know about it? Lenster and Thracia have been at war ever since the countries were founded. It started with Noba and Dain themselves..."

"I thought it was a truce on both sides..."

"No, nothing like that... almost every year, Cuan needs to go to the border to fight against Trabant's armies. He keeps trying to take over Lenster to reunite the peninsula, and we keep resisting. He's a tyrant of a king, Ayra. Trabant's already tried underhanded maneuvers to kill my husband, and before that, my father-in-law."

_Sheesh, now I can understand part of why Cuan's so direct. No other choice, really..._

"So that's why he's so... blunt?"

Ethlin giggled to herself before speaking, "No, that's just how he is. It's part of his charm..."

Ayra blinked a few times. _Never mind, I'm not going to ask._

"Okay, so how do they," Ayra gestured to the room where the four were, "know each other?"

The Duchess of Lenster smiled as if remembering her youth. "The three of them attended the Royal Academy of Barhara together. They received training in the sword, lance, axe, and bow, as well as how to lead an army. The three of them also learned about being a ruler, what a good leader is like, and how to become a strong king or duke. That's also where I first met Cuan," she finished, her head shaking.

Ayra raised an eyebrow, a bit of confusion in her eyes. "Did something happen?"

"No, it's just... Cuan was rather oblivious in how to court someone. His first few attempts... let's say I still tease him about them," she answered, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

_Well, that explains the personal side..._ Ayra looked back at the door, a stern look on her face. _I still need to know if he'll talk..._

"You're still worried about your identity getting out, correct?"

"Yes."

Ethlin laid a hand on Ayra's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Don't worry. I doubt Sigurd told anyone else, and even if Eltoshan pressures him, Sigurd won't tell him. My brother's an honest man, and he keeps his promises even if it nearly kills him."

"And Diadora?"

The troubadour patted her shoulder. "She wouldn't know about that anyway... Diadora's really apt at reading my brother, but terrible with almost anyone else. Plus, she doesn't know anything about the affairs outside of Verdane, so even if she knew, it wouldn't make a difference."

Ayra nodded, but something still irritated her. "Eltoshan... when I saw him, he seemed to know there was something about me..." she muttered, and turned to face Ethlin. "I think he already knew."

Ethlin brushed a few of her bangs to the side. "Well... Eltoshan's an extremely intelligent man, he has a very sharp memory, and can draw conclusions in an instant. Right now, I would guess he's suspicious, and he'll probably look up Isaac's family tree at the library in Agusty... as for if it's dangerous, I highly doubt that. He's like my brother in his honesty, but he's extremely stubborn. If he makes up his mind... it would take little more than a miracle to change it."

The swordswoman was silent for a moment, until she finally spoke, "Thank you." She turned around, walking towards her room.

"It's nothing," Ethlin replied. Ayra heard her knock on the door to the room that Sigurd, Diadora, Cuan, and Eltoshan were in, and heard it soon open and close afterwards.

_Ugh. This is not what I wanted. Plus, it'ss much more complicated than I thought. _She let out a sigh, and opened the door to her room. _Now I see why I wasn't in direct line for the throne. It's too damn complicated._

Her sword twirled above her, in an intricate dance of death in which one mistake could cost her dearly. Ayra did not worry though, this ritual warm-up could be performed in her sleep. It was her first real test as a swordswoman in Isaac, her instructor watching every movement she made with the wooden sword required for those learning how to be a warrior of the blade. For months, she could never fully master these movements, but now they were second nature. She finished as her sword cut through the air before her, stopping at a spin of the blade, and sheathing it neatly. _I've been here a month, and nothing has happened. Oifaye just returned a few days ago with no information, everyone except for Jamuka and Dew can do nothing except talk about Sigurd and Diadora's wedding within the week... Odo above, I need something else to do. Shanan is always being instructed, I've sparred with just about everyone who has time... _She shook her head. _May as well do the basics... _Ayra crouched down, right hand falling upon the hilt of the katana and her left on the sheath. She drew her sword in a smooth motion, and then leaned back into a thrust stance. Her left hand moved to the back of the hilt, her sword pointed blade to the sky, and then she dashed forward. The sword flew before her, the swordswoman turning it as to not lose momentum, and transitioned into a spinning array of slashes and parries. Her routine ended when she cut the katana through the air, and brought it to a stop exactly at her left leg. Ayra sheathed it, and reached her left hand up to wipe some sweat from her forehead. _Okay, not as basic as I thought, but..._

"So that's a training routine for an Isaacian?" a somewhat familiar voice queried, "I honestly expected something... less flashy."

The swordwoman spun on her heel, her gaze instantly changing from tranquil to furious. "Someone not of Isaacian descent would not know," she retorted, recognizing the blue-haired man instantly. "One who helped intensify the war between our countries would not know anything anyway."

Lex raised an eyebrow. "Me? I haven't even been to Isaac, much less been at the front of that war. It would sound like you make a lot of assumptions, Princess."

Ayra felt her eyes narrow. "I do not go by that title anymore, man of Dozel."

He shrugged. "Fine then, Ayra. Now, it seems like you could use a sparring partner, correct?"

"I have already challenged everyone here."

"No, you are wrong on that count," Lex countered, reaching his right hand over his shoulder, "I for one, have not fought you."

"Someone I have already defeated does not count," Ayra replied, her words barbed. She felt her hands leaning towards her sword... perhaps instinct, perhaps not.

The axe knight smirked, bringing his axe out from behind his back. "I would say your body language suggests otherwise."

There was something different... perhaps his mannerisms, his odd lack of armor, or that his axe seemed changed somehow. _Probably just repaired. Something else is bothering me... but no matter._

"Hmph. Fine then."

Ayra dashed forward, her sword flashing from its sheath as she reached Lex, who spun his axe to block the strike. Oddly, the blade of his axe caught her sword's cut perfectly. To her shock, it did not move along the axe's edge, but instead Lex lunged forward with his weapon, the axe arcing towards her at a very unusual speed. Ayra instinctively crouched low, but lost the grip on her sword. Not waiting this time, she started to spin her legs around to sweep his own, only to have them blocked by the shaft of his axe. Ayra fell backwards, the sudden block knocking her off balance. Lex did not give her any room to correct her mistake, instead dropping his own axe to dive forward . His hands fell onto her wrists, his legs bent parallel to her own. _... Pinned, in one move._

Lex stared down at her, his expression... rather odd. Ayra could not read it... and even his words did not give her an answer for his very aggressive actions. "I need a few answers from you."

Ayra turned her head to the left, seeing her sword laying on the ground a few meters away from them. _Thoroughly beaten._

She turned back to look at him, an impassive look in her eyes. "Fine, if you would be so kind as to move yourself so it does not appear that you are going to rape me."

Lex let go of her wrists, and moved off of her legs. He sat across from her, his legs folded beneath him. "You were civil, if not pleasant towards me after you defeated me outside of Genoa. Then you avoided me at every opportunity, and this is the first time I've even spoken to you. What is your problem?"

Each of his words made her tense up more and more, until his question pushed her over the edge. "What is my problem? You, your father, your family is at the front in the war between Isaac and Grandbell! I heard that soldiers of Dozel were ordered to be as ruthless as possible by their leaders, to massacre the citizens of Isaac, and to kill me or Shanan on sight! And you have the nerve to ask-"

Lex's eyes flashed with anger. "I have the nerve if I have nothing to do with that blood-stained power-crazed **bastard** of a father that I have! I knew about those orders, and I left Dozel at the first opportunity with Azel to get as far away from that demon! I know of your identities, and I have done nothing!" His outburst actually rendered the swordswoman speechless, as Lex continued, "If I were like that madman, I would have killed you or Shanan at the first opportunity. However,** I am not.** If I were able to, I would disown the bastard. But I can't, we're too well-ingrained into Grandbell's line, and one of the Crusader's blood is not allowed to hide!"

Ayra stayed silent as the axe knight took a few deep breaths, the red tinge of his face starting to fade away. "You had-"

"Nothing to do with those decisions. My father despises me, and I despise him. I am never involved in any decision, no matter how big or small, and many of them are to spite me. This one in particular was a response to my bringing the unanswered questions behind your father's death to the ears of Byron of Chalphy. Our relationship has always been hostile, and I finally snapped. However, I can't just leave," he spat out, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You said one of the holy line cannot hide?"

Lex hesitated a second before answering, almost like he was evaluating her expressions, "Judging by the confusion on your face, I guess you don't know about this, then. Do you know why anyone found with Loputousu's blood is burned?"

Ayra stared back at him, almost annoyed by the obvious answer. "They could become the next ruler, and bring about tragedy to Jurgdal. That's obvious."

The axe knight smirked back at her. _Uh oh..._

"I guess that only the direct heir is educated in more than swordplay in Isaac," he replied, holding a hand up to block her angry comment. "Let me finish. That's only partially right. The reason is that if two individuals with the same blood as a single Crusader have children, their children will be granted the intense strength of that Crusader's blood. Which means they would be able to wield the Holy Weapons as well, breaking the decree set by the Crusaders themselves."

Ayra did not necessarily understand, until the last sentence was spoken. "So if..."

"That is why one with the Crusader's blood cannot vanish in Grandbell. It is the same for those of Loputousu's descendants, they are burned so they cannot have children or spread the blood of Loputousu, or he may once again rise to terrorize Jurgdal once more."

Her gaze centered on the ground before her, almost embarrassed to make eye contact with the axe knight. "So that's it..."

"Yeah. If you were shunning me because of my sick fuck of a father, rest assured, I probably loathe him more than you ever would."

Ayra did not say anything, or even move. It was silent... oddly so. Lex too, kept his mouth closed. After a moment, the swordswoman silently admitted defeat. She stood up, still avoiding eye contact. "I owe you an apology, then."

He was silent for a moment, before speaking, "Thank you." She turned around, and started walking to her sword. As she crouched down to pick it up, Lex spoke again. "I received news earlier today from Dozel. Your brother was killed on the field of battle. I am truly sorry."

Ayra picked up her sword, and after examining it for a moment, sheathed it. "Mariccle knew he would die from the moment the war began. That is why Shanan and I are in Verdane now," she responded, and then turned to face him, oddly more self-confident. "I have prepared for this news many times."

Lex nodded slowly. "He was struck down by Leptor of Freege. Hopefully the war will end now."

"Don't count on that. The people of Isaac have long memories. We won't rest until we know who killed my Father, even if that means we need to acquiesce for the time being."

The axe knight kept his gaze locked on the floor in front of him. "Sigurd wanted to find a less harsh way to tell you, or to try and find something else that may help. I..."

Ayra walked past him as his voice trailed off. She placed her right hand on his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered, and walked out of the training hall.

_Brother... I hope you were prepared. Shanan and I are safe... I do believe we are in the hands of good people. But..._ She paused. The swordswoman closed her eyes, and felt tears run down her cheeks. _I... I wish I could have helped you. I wish I could give you the proper burial you deserve... and I promise that Shanan will live up to your dreams. Odo watch over you, brother._

Author's Note:

Finals are over, so fall semester is over. Huzzah!That would be the cause of the delay.

Not much to say about this chapter. Just trying to establish backstory, some of the characters, you know the drill.

As always, please leave a review, and any constructive criticisms or suggestions are welcome!


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